Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in caster wheel tilt bar. More particularly, the present caster wheel tilt bar is integrated with or is configured to mount on a cater wheel to prevent rotation of the wheel when a cart is lifted.
Description of Related Art including information disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Carts are generally configured to roll along a surface. In some instances, it is desired to stop the cart and tilt the basket to empty or dump the load. The dumping can be accomplished by bringing the wheel against a stop that stops the wheel from rolling whereby the cart can be lifted. Another method is to apply a brake that stops the wheel from rolling, still another method is to lift or rock the cart to tip the contents out of the cart.
A number of patents and or publications have been made to address these issues. Exemplary examples of patents and or publication that try to address this/these problem(s) are identified and discussed below.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,870 was issued on Jul. 7, 1998 to Sherman David Hogan titled Vehicle Side Tilting Apparatus. This patent discloses a vehicle side tilting apparatus having strap-on wheel rockers to attach to wheels at one side of a vehicle and lift structure to elevate the other side of the vehicle and to roll the vehicle on the wheel rockers until the raised side of the vehicle is upright or slightly over center. This patent is not configured to mount onto the wheel(s) of a vehicle, a vehicle drives onto the apparatus to enable tilting the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,343 was issued on Sep. 26, 2000 to Herman F. Nolting Jr. et al and is titled Cart Braking Mechanism. This patent discloses a braking mechanism for a grocery cart or the like is disclosed as including a braking assembly that is selectively shiftable between braking and non-braking positions and a handle assembly interconnected to the braking assembly for effecting the selective brake assembly shifting. The braking assembly includes a chock element shiftably mounted adjacent at least one of the cart wheels. This patent is essentially a braking system and allows a user to stop the rolling motion of the cart, but it must be integrated into the entire cart.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,753,177 was issued on Jul. 13, 2010 to Rita Slager and is titled Wheel Chock Assembly. This patent discloses a wheel chock assembly is provided having a base member extending axially from a top end to a bottom end, first and second support members whose upper ends are pivotally and slidably engaged with respect to the base member, first and second wheel chocks mounted with respect to the lower ends of the support members, and an adjustment mechanism mounted to the base member. This patent is essentially a set of dowels that engage on opposite sides of a wheel to prevent the wheel from rolling. It does not allow a cart to rock over onto a member that is secured to the wheel. Many of these solutions require the stopping mechanism to be built into the cart when it is made.
What is needed is a caster wheel tilt bar formed as a shoe or bayonet that can be secured onto a custom or generic caster wheel of a cart. The caster wheel tilt bar in this document provides the solution.